Presented by Dr. Lisa Fortier, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and recorded on Tuesday, October 15th via Zoom.

Intra-articular injections in horses are commonly performed with a multitude of justifications including the perceived source of pain, stiffness, poor performance, routine maintenance, radiographic changes, effusion, or post-operative care. There are numerous products available for injection including corticosteroids, autologous biologics, and polyacrylamide hydrogels, with new products constantly emerging for consideration. To determine which product to use when, it is important to have a current understanding of osteoarthritis (OA).

It has been known for decades that osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease and therefore mediated by the immune system. OA is not an auto-immune disease like rheumatic arthritis, but there is clear involvement of immune in the initiation and perpetuation of OA. Inflammation in the joint follows that classic cascade of injury/inflammation with primarily neutrophil involvement, followed by cell proliferation and matrix remodeling during tissue formation with an influx of macrophages and monocytes, and finally cell differentiation with tissue remodeling with a predominance of T cells. All of this happens at the level of the synovial membrane where the inflammatory cells originate and infiltrate the joint fluid. Cartilage is an innocent bystander.

Therefore, medications/products for intra-articular use should target immune cells in the joint capsule or synovial fluid. Finally, all phases of inflammation are important; the goal is not to eliminate inflammation, but to ensure that the joint passes through each phase and doesn’t linger in any one phase which would lead to prolonged inflammation, tissue disorganization and scarring with loss of function. Categories of joint medications will be discussed from the lens of OA in an inflammatory disease of the joint capsule.

Read more: Intra-articular Approaches to Osteoarthritis - Cornell Equine Seminar (Oct 2024)

Troubleshooting Tricky Rides

by Susanna Wright

Horses are living creatures, like people, and will have good days and bad days. When your horse is having an “off” day, how do you determine what to do?

Say you have a horse who is normally mellow and easy-going, but today he surprises you with a buck while you’re riding. This could be caused by several different things, such as fear, pain or discomfort, a miscommunication in training or riding, or a behavioral issue.

These varying causes each warrant different responses, so it is important to be able to distinguish them.

Fear

As discussed in prior lessons, horses are prey animals that rely on a group or herd for safety.

If one horse in a group spooks or has a fear response, others will pick up on that and may react as well. This level of intuition and responsiveness has helped horses survive for thousands of years.

It is ingrained in equine DNA.

Unfortunately, this sensitivity extends to you, the rider/handler as well. If you are nervous, anxious, or scared, your horse will likely pick up on that.

Some horses will be more affected by a rider’s fear than others.

For example, a lesson horse may be pretty numb to typical beginner fear responses, but a high-strung, green horse may be more affected, thus requiring a more confident rider.

Need help managing your anxiety around horses? Check out the Facing Your Fears online course from our friends at Inspired Riding.

If your horse is acting up in a fear response, evaluate the situation.

Is it something you can control?

For example, if your horse is spooking at a plastic bag blowing across the arena, dismount and secure the object.

It doesn’t hurt to let the horse look at it and determine for him/herself that it isn’t going to eat them.

Remember, horses have better vision using both eyes, so it can be helpful to turn them to face the scary object and view it with binocular vision.

Pain

Pain can be a trickier cause to pinpoint.

First and foremost, if you believe your horse is injured or ill, immediately call your vet. It is best to involve a professional early on for the best long-term prognosis!

Enlisting the help of your vet to rule out a physical problem can be helpful in diagnosing the underlying cause.

Poor tack fit could cause a pain response.

For example, if your saddle is too narrow, it could pinch the withers.

If your headstall isn’t adjusted correctly, it could pinch the horse’s ears or cause the bit to sit incorrectly in the horse’s mouth.

Did you check your saddle pad before putting it on the horse? A burr or pokey object could cause irritation under the saddle.

Fortunately, tack fit issues are relatively easy to identify and fix.

Physical pain such as lameness can be more difficult to diagnose. While grooming your horse, always look for swelling, cuts, scrapes, or other signs of trauma or discomfort.

Colic can come on suddenly and cause a drastic change in behavior. Be alert to signs such as unusual sweating, pawing, panting, or biting at the abdomen.

Again, consult your veterinarian with questions if you think something is wrong. It is always helpful to have a physical examination done to rule out illness or injury as the cause of a problem.

Miscommunication

Horses do not all have the same buttons. For example, squeezing your heels against the horse’s sides may be a command to go faster, or it could be a command to stop depending on that horse’s training.

Even horses within the same barn could have different “buttons.”

A lazy horse may need more leg, while a more spirited mount may simply need the slightest bump to speed up. Work with a trainer to ensure you and your horse are speaking the same language.

Learn more about how to speak your horse’s language in Open Communications With Your Horse, an online course from Equestrian Movement.

Behavioral Issue

If you have ruled out fear, pain, and communication errors, you may be dealing with a behavioral issue. This category can be one of the most difficult to diagnose.

A few examples of behavioral issues include:

Speeding up when heading back to the barn. Some horses get “barn sour” and will refuse to leave the barn, or may take advantage of a timid rider and bolt back towards the barn.

This can generally be corrected with some retraining and the help of a strong rider.

Laying down in the arena. One particularly lazy horse learned if she laid down, her beginner rider would dismount and give up.

This behavior was quickly fixed with the help of an assertive rider who made the horse work even harder after pulling this kind of stunt. The horse quickly learned she would be better off, and get to stop working faster, if she behaved.

Biting when the girth is tightened. First, work with your trainer and vet to ensure that the response is not caused by actual pain or injury, and your equipment fits and is appropriate for your horse.

Next, tie the horse so that you are not in danger of being bitten.

Then, watch your horse’s reaction as you tighten the girth. If the horse tries to reach around and nip, do NOT release the pressure! That simply teaches the horse that negative behavior works. Instead, keep applying slow, steady pressure.

Only release it when the horse displays the correct behavior—calmly and nicely accepting the girth.

Repetition is key—you generally won’t fix a problem in one session. Being consistent and fair will help eliminate this particular behavior over time.

Remember that every time you interact with your horse, you are training them.

Be fair and consistent with your interactions.

Parting Thoughts

Identifying the root cause of an issue can be a lengthy, complicated process. Keep a mental (or physical) checklist of what may be responsible for an issue, and work through each possible cause from most obvious to least obvious.

By using the process of elimination, you can help pinpoint the root cause.

Don’t hesitate to enlist the help of your vet or trainer.

Remember the safety of you and your horse is important—unfortunately, pain, fear, and behavioral responses put both you and your horse at a higher risk of injury. Keep safety front-of-mind and ask for help if you need it.

This article originally appeared on Horse Rookie and is published here with permission.

You can read more interesting articles in our section on Health & Education.

Photographer Drew Doggett’s latest series, Icons, powerfully explores horses in ethereal and ancient settings. This 28-image print series, Doggett’s newest addition to his global documentation of horses, offers a nuanced and captivating look at their grace, strength, and lasting cultural impact.

The studio of award-winning fine art photographer, best-selling author, and filmmaker Drew Doggett is thrilled to announce the release of Icons, his latest series. Icons illuminates the beauty of horses in scenes existing somewhere between reality and fiction.

This series is a bold, visionary look by one of the most preeminent photographers of these animals. Each image borders on the surreal by incorporating ancient architecture, delicate fields of lavender, off-white, natural backdrops, endless expanses of salt flats, or epic, otherworldly rock formations. These images hold a sense of magic, revealing the heart and soul of these beloved animals at the tenuous edge of fact and fable.

Beyond the breathtaking, fantastic natural backdrops, other images invoke the wild freedom of a life spent on horseback and the dream of the West that is central to the American story. There are also portraits of Friesian horses, a breed of jet-black animals with silken manes and sheeny coats that feel both masculine and feminine at the same time. The images in Icons are rendered in Doggett’s signature tone, texture, and detail, bringing a timeless story to life in a richly evocative black-and-white palette. It is the latest addition to his best-selling equestrian photography.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Through a fashion-inspired lens, photographer and filmmaker Drew Doggett tells extraordinary stories of diverse cultures, animals, places, and communities. Drew’s photography can be found globally in private and public collections, notably the Smithsonian African Art Museum, the Waldorf Astoria, the Four Seasons, and those of Alec Baldwin, Gloria Steinem, Nicole Ari Parker, and Eric Church. He has received over 130 awards and honors for his images and films. Drew’s artwork has been featured in many publications, including the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Conde Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, Forbes, Bloomberg, Fortune, The Daily Mail, and Outside Magazine. He has partnered with brands like Ralph Lauren, Hasselblad, and Leica. His most recent book, Untamed Spirits: Horses Around the World, is a best-seller on Amazon; its second printing is starting soon.

You can view Icons online at Drew Doggett.

You can find more interesting stories in our section on Recreation & Lifestyle.

The following is an excerpt from The Horseman’s Tale by Tom Equels.

With a father’s eye and a father’s pride, I watched Monty develop. No one ever admits it, but every father has that “apple of my eye,” and Monty was my favorite. Again, in both his look and demeanor, he reminded me of my father. He attended Eton College in England. “College” in England had a different meaning than in the United States. It was a rough equivalent to a private high school for students over the age of sixteen to prepare for admission to a university. Monty graduated from Eton with distinction. As a fencing champion, he led the Eton team to capture the All-England Hampton Trophy, and as an individual, he won England’s Junior Saber Championship.

Consistent with our plan to bring him on slowly, Sean Mac started racing as a four-year-old. In America, the top racehorses started as two-year-olds, but for jumping and distance, waiting until three was far better for the horse. With Monty up, four-year-old Sean Mac won a couple of starter-level stakes races in Ireland. Then, as a five-year-old, he won both the Irish and French Nationals. In the English Grand National that year, Monty and his black stallion were sorely and deliberately fouled by two English competitors who were clearly working in concert. Even though it was deliberate, there was rarely any meaningful recourse in the steeplechase for a protest. It was a forty-horse free-for-all—rules be damned. Still, Sean Mac surprised us all in what turned out to be the equine version of a vicious rugby maul.

It was racing drama at its best. Sean Mac was blocked, with a slowing horse on each side, their riders raining blows with their leather bats. Monty’s public-school fencing skills saved the day, deflecting blow after blow with his own racing bat. Still, he saw no clear way out, trapped in an ever-pressing equine vise.

Then, Sean Mac lunged to the right and bit off the blocking gray gelding’s left ear, leaving the injured horse screaming and spraying blood. Monty, in an equally possessed moment, instantly took advantage of his adversary’s shock, slashing his racing bat across the face of the gray horse’s jockey. It broke the man’s nose and sliced open his cheek. The wounded gelding reared up and threw his equally injured rider to the ground. Sean Mac then sprinted through the chaos-driven gap and sought to take the lead, but he couldn’t make up the lost time. He came in third by eight lengths.

At the time, Andy Warhol’s famous expression came to my mind: “In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes.” This Grand National melee looked like Monty and Sean Mac’s fifteen minutes of fame. Actually, “infamy” is the proper word. All of England’s prominent but notoriously muckraking newspapers smeared big front-page photos of the critical moment of Sean Mac biting and Monty slashing. Rider and horse were quickly branded by the English press as “The Savages” in sports page headline after headline.

In an act of bald-faced temerity, the two English riders who incited the melee filed a protest, seeking to ban Monty and Sean Mac from future competition in England. By the grace of God, an up-and-coming English filmmaker had videoed the whole incident, start to finish, for a documentary he was doing. He sent copies of the tape to both the track stewards and the BBC. The stewards, who were “the law” on the racetrack and unwilling to bend to chauvinistic pressure, exonerated Monty and Sean Mac, and in a rare act censured and fined—sua sponte—both English jockeys. The BBC backed the stewards by repeatedly broadcasting the video, including a follow-on stamp of royal approval with a video clip of the Prince of Wales, stating: “In England, we believe in fair play and good form.”

It seemed there was justice for an Irishman, and an Irish horse, in England after all.

As a six-year-old, winning every race he entered, Sean Mac was invincible. Sally, Katie, and I traveled to England for the following year’s Grand National and were seated in Viscountess Spennithorne’s box, near the royals. It was a family affair, with Lady Elizabeth, Eamon Cavanaugh, Rory and his wife Glenda, Gerry and Maureen, and Fitz with his date and future wife, Lady Margaret. A royal cousin, Maggie was craquant, smart, and funny, and beloved by her grand-aunt, the queen.

With Sean Mac’s fame, for the first time “Jake Montgomery” stood publicly as a player on a European stage. Even though I avoided public attention, interviews and the like, my increasing public profile was a problem with my undercover career. I was co-owner, trainer, and breeder of Sean Mac, rapidly emerging as the most famous horse in Europe. SOCOM, without even consulting with me, took me off field duty. When I voiced a half-hearted complaint to my handler, a thirty-something civilian who was probably an NSA or CIA bureaucrat, insult was added to injury with, “You are past twenty years of service and getting too old to do the job anyway.”

With that, the Marine Corps promptly promoted me from Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel, setting the stage for my imminent retirement. James Gerald Long was retired too, with a fake death certificate (heart attack) and a marked grave at Shannon’s Lemenagh Cemetery.

These were his only rewards for years of service. In a goofily macabre hat-tip to my Irish alter ego (may he rest in peace), I visit him every now and then to lay flowers on his grave.

As part of my makeover, my public coming out, when I arrived in London for the English Grand National, I sported a new look. First, in an offering to the retirement gods, I put on an extra fifteen pounds. That was all it took to soften the lean-and-mean look. I draped the new me in a neat close-trimmed full beard, a tailored gray Canali day suit, a matching suede flat cap, and Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses. Not a trace of my secret alter ego could be seen. The aging movie star look was my newly crafted public persona, my new mask. I liked the look! Been that way, with an ever-growing touch of gray, ever since.

The Grand National was a true extravaganza. We didn’t have anything like it in America—a free-flowing festival, with more than half a million people converging on Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool. In the Grand National race, there was no starting gate, and the field of competitors was always enormous. Sean Mac was the favorite among the mob of thirty-six entered horses. The race had two false starts before getting the runners away clean.

Monty, not wanting a repeat of what happened the previous year, quickly took the lead, showing tremendous early speed for a race of more than four miles with thirty jumps. The field then broke into a six-horse pack and thinned out from there. A hush overtook the crowd, with murmurs that the fast pace couldn’t be maintained for the distance. Then Monty and Sean Mac put down more early speed, leaving the pack behind. It reminded me of the greatest race I’d ever seen, when Sean Mac’s grandsire, Secretariat, won the Belmont by almost a furlong in world-record time.

Monty struck for home, leaving the number-two horse, Escalon, a furlong behind with only half a mile left to run. Wire to wire, I thought it a bold move and I knew it was a complete departure from the pre-race plan laid out by Rory. As they neared the finish, Monty tried to slow Sean Mac to preserve the horse. The win was secure, but the stallion was not slowing down. Yes, this was Old Pete’s son for sure, running the race his way. Sean Mac increased the pace for the finish, finding a reservoir of blinding speed. Monty did the only thing possible: enjoy the ride. Gerry and I looked at each other, beaming with pride in our son and our horse as they blazed across the finish line. Like two teenagers, we shared a high five.

That race was the pinnacle of my professional life as a horse breeder and trainer. I came up with the idea for his breeding. I helped birth him. Within minutes of birth, the long-legged mousey-blue colt was up and prancing in the foaling stall. I knew then he would be exceptional. I knew then that he would be raven black, as all truly black horses are born with a distinct bluish coloring. The colt had an aura of speed that I saw from the start.

I was a horseman, and Sean Mac was my masterpiece.

This excerpt from the novel The Horseman’s Tale by Tom Equels is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.

About Tom Equels
Thomas Kenwood Equels, MS, JD, was knighted in the Equestrian Order of Saint Gregory the Great by Pope Benedict in 2012. For decades he has bred and trained winning Thoroughbred racehorses and champion Paso Fino horses on his farm in Ocala, Florida. He has ridden Paso Finos born on his farm to numerous championships including an International Grand Championship at the prestigious USEF sanctioned Spectrum International. A combat-wounded Vietnam veteran, combat pilot and instructor pilot, Equels was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for heroism while participating in aerial combat, as well as the Purple Heart. He is a black belt in karate and was named one of the Florida Black Belt Association’s “Four Season Tour” champions, as well as a National Sport Karate Association (NASKA) National Champion.

As a lawyer, Equels received numerous federal and state awards for his high-impact pro bono work in civil rights, poverty law, and social justice cases. For over three decades he represented foreign states on an international basis, as well as the State of Florida. He also served private companies in the banking, insurance, aviation, pharmaceutical, and construction industries. Since 2016, Equels has served as CEO of Aim Immunotech Inc, an immunology research company focused on the development of therapeutics to treat cancers, immune disorders, and viral diseases.

The Horseman’s Tale
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This excerpt from The Horseman’s Tale is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books. Visit them online at Horse & Rider Books. All photos courtesy of Horse & Rider Books.

There a more really interesting books on riding and all aspects of equestrian living in our section on Books.

Presented by Rebecca McOnie, DVM Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and recorded on Tuesday, September 17th, 2024 via Zoom.

⚠️ Please note: This presentation includes photos taken during equine surgical procedures. Please view at your own discretion.

This seminar will describe laparoscopy, one of the major minimally invasive or "keyhole" surgery techniques used in equine veterinary medicine. The advantages of laparoscopy will be described, and candidates for this type of surgery highlighted. Additionally, the limitations of laparoscopy will be discussed. Find out when and why to consider laparoscopy for your horse! Speaker Biography: Rebecca McOnie earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After four years on the Canadian Prairies, she was elated to spend a year in the heat working as a Rotating Equine Intern at Arizona Equine, outside of Phoenix, Arizona. She then moved to upstate New York where she completed a three-year residency in Large Animal Surgery at Cornell University. Dr. McOnie has since worked in a Clinical Instructor capacity and is finishing a fellowship in large animal soft tissue minimally invasive surgery.

Read more: Minimally Invasive Surgery in the Abdomen - Cornell Equine Seminar

Mette Moe Mannseth is one of 5 Master Trainers in the Icelandic horse world. Horses of Iceland visited Mette at her farm, Þúfur, in North Iceland to hear the story of how a young girl in Norway became one of our most influential trainers and riding instructors. Mette discusses her passion, thoughts on training, breeding Icelandics and much more!

Read more: Get to know...Mette Moe Mannseth, Master Trainer (11:26) - Horses of Iceland

By Kentucky Equine Research Staff

As temperatures cool and competition season winds down for many, autumn is a good time to plan for potential changes to a horse’s routine. Nutrition, water consumption, body condition, and exercise are always important, but these factors are intertwined all year long, no matter the season. A horse’s needs are not static, thus a quick checkup can help ensure horses stay happy and healthy through autumn.

Plan seasonal activities. Is your horse continuing to compete locally, taking the winter off, or prepping for a long haul for warm-weather competition? If the workload is staying relatively constant, it is possible that few dietary changes are necessary. Lightening up training could mean lower calorie needs, depending on the horse.

On the other hand, if you are traveling to a winter circuit, training may intensify or even peak, and dietary needs may need to be adjusted accordingly. When traveling, bring along at least some hay from home to help ease the transition to whatever forage is available at your destination. Trailer travel can also affect a horse’s gastrointestinal tract, so it may be useful to add support from nutritional supplements specifically designed for gastric and hindgut health.

Watch temperatures and haircoat status. No matter the training schedule, low temperatures mean that a horse will need more energy to keep warm. A horse with a clipped coat needs some special attention in this regard. Blankets or rugs are essential for horses with clipped coats, but shorter coats mean a horse’s critical temperature (the temperature at which a horse needs more energy to stay warm) will be higher compared to a horse with a full coat. A horse with a full coat may remain comfortable at 32° F (0° C), whereas a clipped horse may need help staying warm below 59° F (15° C).

The best way to help a horse stay warm from a dietary standpoint is to increase the amount of forage in the diet through the provision of extra hay, soaked beet pulp, or hay cubes. Horses ferment fiber in the cecum, and a byproduct of fermentation is heat. The cecum is the “fermentation vat” that also serves as a horse’s internal heater, thus feeding forage is a good strategy for helping a horse stay warm in colder months.

Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research, advises, “No matter your plans for the fall and winter season, it is of key importance to keep an eye on your horse’s weight to make sure no major gains or losses occur.” This is especially true for horses that are off for the winter or that wear blankets. It is necessary to remove blankets regularly to keep an eye on body condition and monitor proper blanket fit as well.

Assess water consumption. With increased forage intake comes an increased need for water, so be sure horses are drinking enough and that water sources are accessible and free of solid ice. One study reported that in cold weather ponies drank more water when it was either continually warmed or had warm water added to the source compared to water that was at the near-freezing mark.^* Horses will drink cold water, but bucket heaters or the addition of warm water once or twice daily may help encourage more intake. Restore SR (Restore in Australia) is a balanced electrolyte supplement that supports proper hydration and can help encourage water intake.

Contemplate hoof care. Work with your farrier to determine if any shoeing changes should be made for colder weather. Some opt to remove shoes while others may add snowball pads to prevent the buildup of snow and ice. Bio-Bloom PS (Bio-Bloom HF in Australia and certain other locales) is designed to provide optimal nutrition support for hooves and coat, and autumn is a great time to consider adding it to the diet.

Schedule a veterinary exam. Autumn vaccinations, dental checkups, and general health evaluations will help prepare a horse for changing seasons and potentially catch problems before they start. Your veterinarian can advise of any health concerns that may need special care in cold weather. “A dental evaluation can help ensure a horse has the proper dentition to chew the forage needed for warmth as temperatures chill,” recommended Whitehouse.

Survey turnout areas. Turning out horses has numerous benefits, foremost of which are free-choice exercise and social interaction with peers. Despite these benefits, danger lurks in some fields. “As pasture grasses become dormant, horses may be more inclined to taste-test weeds they would ignore at the height of growing season,” said Whitehouse.

Because of this, it is important that weed control measures are well established, and it is just as crucial that horses are provided an alternative forage source when on pasture during autumn and winter. Further, any dead branches that have fallen from trees should be picked up immediately. The dried leaves of certain species, particularly some maple trees, are toxic to horses and definitively linked to an atypical muscle disorder.

In summary, a horse’s dietary needs are not constant and should be evaluated seasonally to ensure all calorie and nutrient needs are being met appropriately. For dietary help, reach out to a nutrition advisor at Kentucky Equine Research.

Read more: Autumnal Horse Care: Six Considerations

For years, Kathy sought healing from an emotionally destructive relationship. Through working with horses in a mental health therapy program she was finally able to uncover and confront the root cause of her suffering. Kathy’s interactions with horses served as a catalyst for her to find healing within herself. Watch the video below to see how horses helped Kathy uncover a 30-year secret.

As part of our mission to spread awareness of the healing power of horses, we seek to share stories of transformation that illustrate the healing journey and personal growth people can experience through the involvement of horses in mental health programs and services.

Read more: Uncovering Secrets | Seen Through Horses Campaign (2:56)